Dolpa - Geography

Dolpa is the largest district of Nepal covering 5.36% of the total landmass of the country. Located between 28°24’ N - 29°43’ N latitude, and 82°24’ E - 83°38’ E longitude, the elevation in Dolpa ranges from 1,525 to 7,625 m (5,003 to 25,016 ft) above sea level. The district borders Tibet ( China) on the north and northeast, Jumla and Mugu districts of Karnali on the west, Myagdi, Jajarkot and Rukum on the south and Mustang on the east.A large portion of the district is protected by Shey Phoksundo National Park. The name is derived from the 12th century Shey Monastery and the deepest lake in Nepal, the Phoksundo Lake, both of which lie in the district. The park protects endangered animals like the snow leopard, musk deer and the Tibetan wolf. Shey Phoksundo is the largest and the only trans-Himalayan National Park in Nepal.It is also one of the two districts that lie beyond the Himalaya or the trans-Himalaya, Mustang being the other.The district distances an altitudinal range of over 5,000 m (16,000 ft) from a little over 1,500 m (4,900 ft) at Tribeni in Kalika VDC to 7,381 m (24,216 ft) meters at the peak of Churen Himal. Kanjiroba (6,221 m (20,410 ft)), Mukot (6,638 m (21,778 ft)) and Putha Hiunchuli (7,246 m (23,773 ft)) are other renowned peaks.Physiographical the smaller ranges of the Great Himalayas comprise the southern border of the district. Between these and the border mountain ranges of Gautam Himal and Kanti Himal to the north, Dolpa district is a labyrinth of often wide glacial valleys and ridges. Kanjiroba Himal and Kagmara Lekh running northwest to southeast separate the valleys of the Jagdula in the west from the rest of the district.